Syria visa pre-approval: what has changed
Tourist entry update for all nationalities, whether arriving by air or by land.
Updated 12 November 2026 · Syrian Guides
Approval before arrival
All nationalities · Updated 12 November 2026: According to the latest immigration-department information received by Syrian Guides, tourist visitors of all nationalities must arrange travel through a travel agency or tour operator and receive visa pre-approval before arrival, whether entering by air or by land. Approval must be arranged through a tour operator; the immigration authorities decide approval and entry. Do not travel while approval is pending. Read the current entry guidance and source note.
Arrange approval before you travel
The latest information received by Syrian Guides expands our earlier U.S. and EU notices to tourist visitors of all nationalities, at both airports and land borders. This includes Damascus and Aleppo airports and land arrival from Lebanon or Jordan.
Book your travel arrangements through a travel agency or tour operator and have the operator arrange the visa pre-approval process with the Syrian authorities. Receive the approval before departure: a pending application, airline boarding permission or payment of the visa fee is not a substitute for entry approval.
What should travellers do now?
Contact your operator before booking non-refundable travel. Provide your passport nationality, intended travel dates and entry route, and wait for confirmation that approval has been issued. If travelling with Syrian Guides, contact our team to arrange the next steps.
Source and scope
This operational update reflects information received by Syrian Guides from immigration-department contacts on 12 November 2026. We have not located a publicly accessible official circular confirming the new all-nationalities requirement. Older published guidance may differ. Confirm your own passport, travel purpose and route before departure; special-status and non-tourist cases need individual checks. This update does not announce a change in visa fees or a guaranteed processing time.
See our visa requirements guide, FAQ and entry-route guide.